Baka and Test: American Literature Readings
by Aniwatcher154
Summary: The cast of Baka and Test are reading stories from great writers to get an idea of American literature. Ryan, an OC, reads to the cast.


Hey, I thought of something. The idea came to me while I was sitting in my American Lit class, and it was Edgar Allen Poe week. Speaking of him, did you know he had a pretty crappy life? Oh, and you know _The Raven_? Well, he got… guess how much money he got for that? That's right! He got nine dollars! Back then, that was like, what, twenty? He didn't get that much. In fact, most of the money went to the publisher because they made a deal. Edgar would get nine dollars and twenty-five copies of The Raven! Not exactly the person you want to go into busnessing in with.

So, in celebration of a bird holiday, why not have the characters read The Raven, where I (OC) read to them. We'll see what happens. I mean, I can't just put each character into the story anyways, there's only two characters besides the-no spoilers! I mean, I guess there's three, but whatever. I was going to have this as a late Halloween gift, but it's way past Halloween. At any case, time for the disclaimer.

**I do not own _The Raven _nor_ Baka and Test_.**

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><p>"Why are we staying late afterschool?"<p>

"The principle wanted the students (Akihisa) a better idea of American Lit. So, why don't we read a very famous short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. The story is called _The Raven_."

"The what?"

"The Raven, Akihisa. I think I heard that somewhere before. Isn't it suppose to be dark or something?"

"Have you, Yuuji? Well, now we get to read it! Let's begin!"

"'Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—while I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, as of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. 'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, 'tapping at my chamber door—only this and nothing more.'"

"I'm already lost."

"It's okay. So, the narrator is reading a book, or 'forgotten lore' to help fall asleep. Suddenly, there came a tapping, as if someone was gently rapping at his chamber door."

"It doesn't seem dark though, unlike what Yuuji said."

"We're still at the beginning. Let's continue."

"'Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;

"'And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow from my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—for the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—nameless _here_ for evermore.'"

"I got that it was in the winter."

"Hey, Akihisa's catching on. How 'bout you guys? Yuuji? Hideyoshi? Kouta? Minami? Shouko? Himeji?"

"""Yes!"""

"Great… Yuuji, explain to Akihisa, because I know that he only knows that it was the winter."

"*sigh* Alright, so picture the darkest night you could. It's the winter, like you said, so it's snowing. The narrator is wanting the day to pass, though I'm not completely sure why, though a girl he knew, Lenore, probably died not too long ago. He's thinking about her, isn't that right?"

"Yes, actually. Lenore was probably the narrator's wife, and Lenore is a female name. Something I should've mention though is that every female in any of Poe's short stories either die or is already dead. The reason is because every important female in his life died. That wraps up this explanation, so let's continue."

"'And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; so that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating. 'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;—this it is and nothing more.'"

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

"'Sir,' said I, 'or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; but the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, and so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, that I scarce was sure I heard you'—here I opened wide the door;—darkness there and nothing more.'"

"Anything else would be scary."

*BAM!*

"Ow! Why did you hit me?"

"Just listen to the story. Let's continued"

"'Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; but the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, and the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?" This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, 'Lenore!'—merely this and nothing more.'"

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.

"'Surely,' said I, 'surely that is something at my window lattice; let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—'Tis the wind and nothing more!'"

"'Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, in there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore; not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; but, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—perched, and sat, and nothing more.'"

"Alright, so some of you may be lost. Pallas is the Greek goddess of wisdom. So when the raven park itself on top of the bust, what it's symbolizing is that the raven is on top, not wisdom. You got that everyone? Akihisa?"

"Wait, why did you say my name separate from everyone?"

"Let's just continue. That doesn't matter Akihisa."

"Like hell it doesn't Yuuji! It matters-"

*bam* bam*

"Soon, the book becomes bloody with the blood of the idiot Akihisa Yoshii. Let us continue."

"'Soon this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, by the grave and stern decorum of the continuance it wore. 'Though thy crest be shorn and shaven thou,' I said, 'art sure no craven, ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore-tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!' Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'"

"I'm a little confuse."

"Alright then. So, basically, the narrator asked what the raven's name is. The raven responded to the question with "nevermore." Got that Minami?"

"Yeah, but I never knew ravens could talk? Is this supernatural?"

"Oh no. Ravens actually possess the ability to speak. They're like parrots, but for crazy people and not pirates. Where was I? Oh right. Wait, actually, it's getting late. We might want to go home. Is everyone going to be okay walking home late at night?"

"""Yes!"""

"Alrighty then. Class dismiss. We'll continue tomorrow. Just gotta wash Akihisa's blood off of the book."

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><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>

How did you guys enjoy this first half of the reading? Yes, I did read the guidelines with posting stories, and there is nothing in there that said that I couldn't post stories from great writers such as Poe. Seriously, look at the guidelines if you're a register user. I know they change it every week, but it's more so to make sure that authors are up to date with it.

Like I said up top, this is the first half of The Raven. The second half is coming soon, and I hope that I could do more chapters like these. What would be cool is if you, the reader, request a story I could read to the cast. I hope that I could continue this, and maybe get lots of requests.

I hope to see you all again next time!


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